Secret's Out
by LetterstoMySoul
Summary: Lily and James inadvertently come out to the Marauders... and the whole school. Rated T for language and sexual innuendos.


Summary: James and Lily inadvertently come out to the Marauders… and the whole school

Author's Note: So, this is my first fanfic, and as you can see, it's pretty short, but I'm very excited about it. I had so much fun writing this, so please, don't hesitate to comment on it!

The four Marauders were sitting at the far end of the Gryffindor table, closest to the Head table. Remus and Sirius sat on one side, with James and Peter across from them. James was speaking quietly, and his three friends leaned close to listen, all looking rather serious.

Lily walked up behind the Head Boy and touched his shoulder, interrupting whatever he was telling his friends. No doubt, judging by their concentrated faces, they were planning their next prank. "James," she said, and all four boys looked up at her curiously.

"Yes, _Evans_?" he asked, drawing out her last name obnoxiously, reminding her that she had referred to him as James, and not Potter, in public. They had a rule against that, in order to maintain their _thing_ a secret. A brief surge of panic washed through her, but was gone in an instant. She gave James a tight smile.

"I need to talk to you. It's about the patrolling schedule." She widened her eyes at him and he caught the meaning behind her words. He smirked.

"Of course," he replied smoothly, turning around in his seat and making to stand up.

Lately, James and Lily's unspoken agreement to tolerate one another had evolved into a sort of physical relationship. They weren't dating, exactly, but they definitely spent a lot more time in each other's presence than they would have ever believed they could get used to. It was more of a way of blowing off steam, what with all the stress from school, and the fear of the war that they would be facing and fighting in just a few months time. On the outside, it looked like nothing. They disguised their rendezvous as simple Head meetings, and although their friends sometimes wondered what the Head Boy and Girl could possibly talk about so much-well, there was nothing wrong with being extra diligent, was there? During these "meetings," they would touch, kiss, and explore each others' bodies in ways that they should _not _have been doing but they did anyway. They would act, in every sense of the word, like a couple. They talked, they laughed, they cuddled afterwards-but only in private. They had yet to go on a single date together. Oh, they wanted to, sure, and they had talked about it, too. But neither of them could face admitting to their friends that, after all those years of enmity and bickering between them, they had actually sorted out their differences and come to, if not love, then at least care for each other.

"Would you like me to come, too?" asked Remus. James paused and gaped at him while Lily just looked at him blankly. "I mean," he elaborated, suddenly self-conscious about the looks he was getting from them both, "since I assume you're talking about the prefects' patrol schedules. Would you like me to help you guys?"

Understanding dawned on Lily and she hurriedly replied. "Oh, don't worry about it, Remus," she assured him. "It's actually just a Head meeting."

James snorted from his seat. "It certainly is," he muttered with a sly smile, loud enough for all the Marauders and Lily to hear.

There was a pause in which every one of them processed the words that James had just uttered. Sirius narrowed his eyes at James and Remus looked between the Head Girl and the Head Boy, brows furrowed. Peter stared down at his food, biting his lip and mulling over the words in deep concentration. Lily, for her part, averted her eyes and turned her head away to hide the scandalized blush that was crawling up her neck and the growing smile that she refused to let herself show.

"Wha-" Sirius started, but was interrupted by a flustered Lily.

"We were just-" she faltered, not sure what to say next. "Come on, James," she said, practically hauling the smug boy off the bench and onto his feet. As she dragged him across the Great Hall (_God, why did they have to choose the _farthest _seats from the doors?_), James looked back and grinned at the varying degrees of stupor on each of his friends' faces, as they struggled to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

"James, you _fucking idiot!_" Lily groaned beside him, biting back a laugh. She shoved him playfully on the shoulder and covered her face with her hands, mortified. "I didn't even _deny _it! Oh my _God_." James chuckled and dodged an oncoming fist from Lily as she wailed, "It's not funny!" One look at her, though, and he knew she didn't mean it. She was smiling begrudgingly.

He chanced another look back at Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Upon making eye contact with the former, James winked and sent him a lascivious grin.

Sirius's eyes widened and his mouth popped open as he finally connected the dots. "WHAT THE FUCK?!" His exclamation was heard throughout the entire Great Hall, and many people stopped their conversations to look up curiously. Up on the head table, James noticed Professor McGonagall staring disapprovingly at Sirius and starting to rise from her seat.

James cackled and Lily, despite herself, giggled alongside him. He picked up his pace and, grabbing Lily by the hand, pulled her along to the approaching double-doors.

"NO WAY!" Sirius was still shouting. "YOU AND EVANS? NO FUCKING WAY!"

All around them, jaws dropped in shock as people realized what Sirius was screaming about this time. Lily laughed and turned around, still being pulled along by James. "Language!" she trilled, just as they reached the double doors and McGonagall reached Sirius.

As they made their escape, they caught Sirius's last yell. "JAMES!" he screamed, just as the doors shut behind them.

Lily and James, still laughing, and still holding hands, walked across the Entrance Hall and out onto the grounds of Hogwarts. James had a goofy smile on his face, and Lily was still red from embarrassment.

"So," said James, feigning casualty. "How about a date?"

Lily struggled to hide her smile, failing miserably. She looked over at the lake, trying to fake nonchalance despite the wide grin on her face. "Next Saturday we get to go to Hogsmeade." She looked up at James and found him staring right back. "Think you can wait that long?"

His gaze was smoldering as he replied. "I'll give it a try." He swooped down to capture her lips in a kiss.

Author's Note: Please comment and tell me if you liked it or hated it! Thanks for reading!


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